Separately I have establisheda “task group” with representatives of SCRA, the Association of Chief PoliceOfficers in Scotland and the Association of Directors of Social Work. Inrespect of cases which otherwise might generate a referral to the reporter onnon offence grounds, the role of the group is to consider what appropriatealternatives might be available for the Police Service to adopt. Since May 2006the group has met twice.

At the UK level, however,the “UK Threat Assessment 2006-07”, published by the Serious Organised CrimeAgency (SOCA) on 31 July 2006 estimates that 90% of the UK's identified heroinsupply originates in Afghanistan. The report is available at http://www.soca.gov.uk/assessPublications/downloads/threat_assess_unclass_250706.pdf.

Work is also under way to developthe scheme of assistance under part 2 of the act. The form of any assistance forhouse sellers will be considered as part of that.

Fatal and Serious Injury Road AccidentsInvolving Heavy Goods Vehicles

Statistical information aboutthe factors which may have contributed to the occurrence of an injury road accidentis only available if it occurred since the start of 2005, when the Stats 19 specificationwas expanded to include such information. The following table gives the statisticswhich are now available. It must be emphasised that the contributory factors shown in the Stats 19 returnsreflect the reporting officer’s opinion atthe time of making the report, and are not necessarily the result of extensive investigation:subsequent enquiries could lead to a change in the opinion of the reporting officer.The Stats 19 contributory factors are largely subjective, and depend upon the skilland experience of the reporting officer in reconstructing the events which led directlyto the accident, based upon the information available at the time of making thereport.

Fatal and Serious Road Accidentsin 2005 for which One or Both of the Specified Contributory Factors were Recorded

Three points should be noted.First, the results from the first year of the collection of new statistical information like this could be subject to “teethingtroubles”. Second, the total is less than the sum of the figures for the two factorsbecause there were some accidents for which both factors were reported. Finally,these figures are “provisional” because the data for 2005 have not yet been finalised- for example, contributory factors have not been supplied for about 5% of the injuryroad accidents which were reported for 2005. It is hoped to obtain these detailsbefore the final figures for 2005 are produced. There may, however, be some accidentsfor which the reporting officers cannot identify any contributory factors.

Analyses of the final contributoryfactor data for 2005 will be included in Road Accidents Scotland 2005, which isscheduled to be published in November 2006.

Reason for Leaving

The table does not include anumber of other ways staff leave the Scottish Executive, such as transferring toanother government department and leaving at normal retirement age.